- In the wake of a horrific shooting rampage in Newtown, Conn. Newark Mayor Cory Booker joined the chorus of gun control advocates calling for a reform of the nation's laws dealing with how and what kind of guns can be purchased.

In an interview on the Rachel Maddow Show last night, Booker called on federal and state leaders to shut down secondary gun markets which he said are responsible for the bulk of illegal guns flowing into cities like Newark and Camden.

"If you are terrorist in America, you can go to the secondary gun market and buy a weapon," Booker said referring to gun shows and internet sales that often do not requuire the level of background check or regulation a primary gun retailer must adhere to.

"About 40 percent of our guns are being sold in secondary markets," Booker said. "That's how the guns are coming into cities like mine."

Booker, who along with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is a member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, cited polling numbers culled by a "Republican pollster" that said 82 percent of gun owners and 74 percent of National Rifle Association members "believe that these secondary markets should be stopped form being able to sell people without criminal background checks."

He said that Newark and similar cities that struggle with gun violence are spending a lot of money without much support from federal and state government.

Almost my entire property tax base in my city -- forget the rest of government -- is being used for public safety purposes," he said. "Without state and federal law changing, many mayors are fighting a very uphill battle."